What a lovely original thought, giving your friends their wedding stationery as your gift. Yes, I remember when I was in my mid-20s weddings seemed to be never-ending. I was only a bridesmaid twice though. Always happy and enjoyable occasions.Sadly, Jan, Hazel is only roughly 15 miles away - and you're about 500. Life can be so unkind sometimes, but at least we can go on making contact thanks to modern technology.

I'm sure we could handle it

This means that after this summer I'll have already been a bridesmaid 4 times

I'll come see you Jan!! Actually hoping to get down to south Devonshire before next summer, a friend of mine and my brothers from church is doing a year out thing down that way and we want to go visit...I'm hoping that if I can pull the pennies (and maybe be able to work by the time I need to pay for it) that I can take another couple of days and explore that part of the world

I was only joking, Hazel. It would be good to know the person behind the name - well, people like you and Jan, that is!

As I've said to Jan, I've always wanted to visit Devon and Cornwall, but due to circumstances beyond my control, have never managed it. My only hope is that Jan and Os might visit Edinburgh, even if only briefly, at some point on their travels. I hope too that your plans will work out OK.

Just heard that my two grandchildren are coming over from Aussie at Christmas instead of the summer. I have started planning for Christmas already, can't believe it, so excited!

Oh what a lovely surprise - they are such a long away and I understand your delight. My brother is a great traveller but he has several collapsed discs in his spine and can no longer stand the pain of a long plane journey. We have been out twice in recent years and seen a few parts of Australia other than Western Aussie where he lives in Margaret River. I can well understand your excitement. Fortunately for my brother and I our telephone package gives us free calls daily up to an hour to Aussie so we can talk to our hearts content. Have you ever been out there Iris, it is a beautiful and friendly country and Sydney has to be my favourite city.

Have you tried Skype Jan? It is free and we can talk as long as we want. We have found it really good as a way of keeping in contact with the grandchildren. They can then relate to us, know who we are and we can see the difference in them as they grow up. We have been out five times (we are going out again next year) and I love Western Australia, we tried to go out permanently but apparently we are too old!! Ar you going out again?

Have you tried Skype Jan? It is free and we can talk as long as we want. We have found it really good as a way of keeping in contact with the grandchildren. They can then relate to us, know who we are and we can see the difference in them as they grow up. We have been out five times (we are going out again next year) and I love Western Australia, we tried to go out permanently but apparently we are too old!! Ar you going out again?

It's a long journey, Iris and I think we will have to see how funds and our health go. America is a favoured destination as it is not quite so far away and the National Parks are so spectacular. Mind you we visited some of the beauty spots along the west side the first time we went to Australia i.e Pinnacles National Park and the one on the Murchison River estuary where we went ona bit of a tour with the ranger whose e-mail address contained the words 'smellysocks'! Then went on to Kalbari too. The next time we went first to Cairns for the Great Barrier Reef and then flew down to Sydney which we loved - not much of a one for cities normally but Sydney was the tops. Then we flew to Perth and down to Margaret River. Where do your family live? By the way, my brother is totally uncomputered - can't stand them and it makes life a bit more difficult when it comes to contact - all we can do is talk.

It's a long journey, Iris and I think we will have to see how funds and our health go. America is a favoured destination as it is not quite so far away and the National Parks are so spectacular. Mind you we visited some of the beauty spots along the west side the first time we went to Australia i.e Pinnacles National Park and the one on the Murchison River estuary where we went ona bit of a tour with the ranger whose e-mail address contained the words 'smellysocks'! Then went on to Kalbari too. The next time we went first to Cairns for the Great Barrier Reef and then flew down to Sydney which we loved - not much of a one for cities normally but Sydney was the tops. Then we flew to Perth and down to Margaret River. Where do your family live? By the way, my brother is totally uncomputered - can't stand them and it makes life a bit more difficult when it comes to contact - all we can do is talk.

It can be quite an expensive business to go out there as we usually go out for 5/6 weeks (last time we went for 3 months!). We don't know what the fares are going to be like for Chrismtas as they haven't posted them yet, but our daughter flew out 3 years ago at Christmas and it cost her just over £1200. Wa is really lovely my son stays just outside Guildford Western Australia (not England!) Australia is so big, we didn't realise the vastness of the country until we tried to go to Kalgoorlie for the day! It was a 10 hour train journey yet on the map it looked as if it was the equivalent from Glasgow to Manchester! My husband is the same about computers, if it wasn't for me we would be on the phone as well but i'm glad we have skype if only to see the wee ones.